Sheila C. Johnson

In 1958, winger Willie O'Ree became the first African American athlete to play in the NHL. Which team was responsible for breaking the color barrier? The Boston Bruins.

The second and third black players in the NHL were Mike Marson and Bill Riley, both signed by the Washington Capitals....

I've just returned from the 2012 Sundance Film Festival, where I serve as a board member. I met daily with directors, talent, and supporters. As always, it was dynamic and exciting. And, as always, the festival showcased scores of extraordinary films. Some hilarious, some heartbreaking; some fantastic, some frightening; and...

"Life beats down and crushes the soul, and art reminds you that you have one." Those words from Stella Adler crystallized my feelings as I toured Haiti last week with one of the greatest creative minds in the world -- my friend Donna Karan, whose Urban Zen Foundation is...

I am proud to be involved in the global movement to fight HIV/AIDS through my work with the Accordia Global Health Foundation, which is building healthcare capacity and strengthening academic medical institutions in the heart of Africa to combat HIV/AIDS and other devastating infectious diseases.

But as a...

On October 11, I participated in a Congressional Roundtable on centers of healthcare excellence in Africa and the contributions of the U.S. private sector in driving health innovation and leadership. The Roundtable was hosted by Accordia Global Health Foundation, the organization responsible for the creation of the

Jackie is a 27-year-old, HIV-positive woman who contracted the virus when she was raped at the age of 15. When her HIV status was disclosed, she was shunned by family and friends and found herself living on the streets. The circumstances under which Jackie was living caused her to miss...

To see Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s majestic likeness rise from the shore of the Tidal Basin, to brush a hand across his words, chiseled in granite, is an extraordinary thing. And this week's unveiling of the King memorial in Washington, D.C., is an extraordinary moment for the African-American community,...

On a clear January day, less than three years ago, as Barack Obama stood before the U.S. Capitol and the world, Rev. Joseph Lowery began his benediction with a verse from "Lift Every Voice and Sing" -- also known as the Negro National Anthem. As Dayna L. Cunningham of MIT...

As I entered Stage 15 on the Sony lot, I joined a room full of friends -- cancer researchers, Hollywood executives, actors, directors, and colleagues -- gathered to comfort one another as we celebrated the life of the extraordinary movie producer Laura Ziskin, who passed away on June 12 at...

This month marks the 39th anniversary of the signing of Title IX, which broke down the barriers to opportunity for women, on the playing field and in the classroom.

The results have been dramatic: In 1971, 300,000 high school girls played sports; today, that...

In sports, as in life, the journey is as powerful as the destination. It's not just about winning; it's about how we as a team come together and support one another. It's not about the trophy; it's about realizing your full potential and never accepting anything but the best for...

Too often we fail to see -- and worse, fail to face -- what's happening right in our own backyard.

As global ambassador for CARE, a leading aid organization fighting global poverty, I traveled to Africa and South America, where the impact of the AIDS epidemic is heartbreaking. Yet the...

For all the great figures that have defined the civil rights battles of the past 50 years, there are two who stand above all others. Two men who were not only contemporaries, but friends and colleagues -- who drew strength from one another, and stood by one another, and lifted...

As we prepare to celebrate International Women's Day on March 8th, consider the state of the world's women.

Seventy percent of the poorest people living in the world today are women and girls. Women work two-thirds of the world's working hours, yet they earn just 10 percent of the...

Greetings from the 2008 Democratic National Convention. It's thrilling to be here and witness all of us democrats finally turning our attention to the substantive issues and decisions of this election -- like coming together to nominate Barack Obama to be the 44th president of the United States -- and...